Laurence
Laurence (also known as the Laurence, The First Vicar) is an optional boss in the Old Hunters DLC of Bloodborne and the founder of the Healing Church. Despite not appearing before the DLC and being an optional boss, he is one of the main antagonists of Bloodborne. Appearance Prior to his transformation Laurence's appearance is unknown. As a Cleric Beast he mostly resembles a regular Cleric Beast albeit covered in flames. Midway into his boss fight though his is split in half. Personality Though seemingly mindless and feral like a typical Cleric beast during his fight. This might not be the case as shown when the player first approaches him he is completely passive not attacking until the player approaches with his human skull. The description of the skull and his reaction in his introduction cutscene imply he wishes to regain his humanity. Prior to his transformation he was shown to be ambitious almost to the point of arrogance when he decided to use the Old Blood to found the Healing Church despite being warned of how dangerous is was. Though it appears he might have changed of heart at some point before he transformed. Despite his disagreements with his former Master Wilheim, he did still have a profound respect for the elder, basing the Healing Church uniforms off of Wilheim's uniform and including the idea of blind-folding oneself to gain insight. Powers and Abilities Like the Cleric Beast Laurence has enhanced strength and agility. Unlike the Regular Cleric Beast, his attacks are infused with fire and his capable of creating explosions, granting him immunity to the beast's common weakness to fire. Once Laurence has 40% of his health remaining, he tears himself apart and begins crawling towards the player, destroying his legs in the process. He constantly 'bleeds' lava out of his torso and gains the ability to spew fire from his mouth. History Before Bloodborne Laurence was once a close disciple of Master Wilheim at his School from Byrgenwerth. He and his fellow scholars found the Chalice Dungeons below Old Yharnam where they found evidence of the Pthumerian civilization and the mysterious Old Blood, believing it to be a holy medium to the Great Ones. Laurence believed that partaking in the Old Blood would be the key to evolving mankind into Great Ones, but Wilheim feared what this could bring, implying to have known about the beastly effects it had on others, and that they must explore alternatives. Master Wilheim led the research on the various objects they found in the old Labyrinth, and concluded that one must not seek above, but inward so that they may "line their brains with eyes" and achieve enlightenment. Unsatisfied with his Master's solution to the use of blood, Laurence left the college and would soon use the blood to create the institution known as the Healing Church to spread the message of blood-healing, using the blood as a means of curing any and all diseases that ail the public. The Church would then experiment with this blood in an attempt to create a new "good blood" without the side-effect of the scourge. Meanwhile, Laurence helped Gerhman establish an institutionalized set of hunters to defend the public from beasts, creating the Hunter's workshop. At some point, Laurence's use of the old blood turned him into a savage Cleric Beast, hunters sent to kill him. Given his fiery appearance, it can be assumed that fire was the primary method used to kill him. His head was later salvaged and placed on an altar in the Healing Church Grand Cathedral, both as an object of worship and ''Bloodborne'' When the Hunter reaches the Grand Cathedral, he/she finds Vicar Amelia preying to Laurence's skull laying on an altar. She prey to it before she becomes a beast, where she then tries to kill the Hunter. After Vicar Amelia is killed, the Hunter then examines the skull. When he/she touches it, the Hunter receives a vision of Laurence's departure from Wilheim, who in-turn warns him to "fear the old blood." ''Old Hunters'' DLC Since having become a beast, Laurence is seen in the Hunter's Nightmare, a Hellish dream-realm where all Hunters who succumbed to blood-lust end up, where his body is laying on a stone throne, still glowing from the flames. When the Hunter first approaches it to acquire the Eye Pendant, it has no reaction. Laurence will remain motionless until the player has acquired Laurence's Skull, the item description of which states that he "is destined to seek his skull," possibly explaining why he only moves when the player holds this item. Trivia *In the Chalice Dungeons, there exists a Bloodletting Beast missing a head. This has led many fans to believe that this was Laurence, since his skull can be found in the Healing Church Grand Cathedral. However, this could actually be the Bloodletting Beast found earlier in the game in a different Chalice Dungeon. Category:Bloodborne Villains Category:Horror Villains Category:Video Game Villains Category:Tragic Category:Elementals Category:Lycanthropes Category:Deceased Category:Game Bosses Category:Damned Souls